UPDATED: Suspects caught in drug net

Monday

Nearly two dozen alleged Beulaville drug dealers were in custody or on the run after state and local authorities conducted a sweep targeting suspected prescription pill traffickers Monday.

Updatd at 9:10 a.m. April 30

Nearly two dozen alleged Beulaville drug dealers were in custody or on the run after state and local authorities conducted a sweep targeting suspected prescription pill traffickers Monday.

Operation: Spring Clean resulted in the issuance of 157 warrants for 21 suspects. Others suspected of drug possession were caught during the dragnet.

More than 50 law enforcement officers split in three teams to scour the town and outlying area in the pouring rain. The teams consisted of officers with the Beulaville Police Department, deputies and K-9 units with the Duplin County Sheriff’s Office, agents with the N.C. State Bureau of Investigation and state probation officers.

BPD Chief Joey Carter said prescription drugs are a major problem in the area, overtaking cocaine and other narcotics.

“Some of these people say they are selling pills to pay their light bill. Some say they are selling pills to pay for other medications. But they’re all breaking the law,” Carter said.

Senior officials conducted the operation from the Beulaville Fire Department, which acted as a booking station when suspects began to roll in within minutes of officers leaving to arrest them. The suspects ranged in age from 18 to 78 and included a father-daughter pair and a preacher. Bonds were set according to prior criminal activity and ranged from $25,000 to $300,000.

“This is a problem that doesn’t know age limits or socio-economic boundaries,” Carter said.

Robert Franklin Jones was charged with trafficking opium and five other drug-related counts.

During his booking process, he said he was shocked to be facing major felonies for allegedly selling prescription medication.

“Why are you charging me with heroin when it’s just pills?” he repeatedly asked police. “How am I supposed to bail out of jail on heroin charges?”

Jones’ wife, Tonya Jones, who was not on the round-up list, was arrested along with her husband. Police said they found prescription drugs and marijuana in her possession.

Valerie Kleckley Brown was charged with trafficking opium and six other drug-related charges. She was also charged with misdemeanor child endangerment for allegedly conducting a car-to-car drug deal with an undercover detective while her young child was with her.

“This area has gone from crack to pills,” said SBI agent Patrick Raynor, who helped organize the operation.

Carter said when it comes to drug interdiction, Beulaville, Duplin County and the State of North Carolina have no boundaries.

Duplin County Sheriff Blake Wallace agreed, saying that he appreciated the other agencies involved. Being accompanied by SBI agents allowed officers to travel outside Duplin County to pick up some suspects, while probation officers were allowed to conduct warrantless searches of suspects on probation.

Contact Daily News Senior Reporter Lindell Kay at 910-219-8455 or lindell.kay@jdnews.com. Follow him on Twitter and friend him on Facebook @ 1lindell.

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State, county and city authorities are rounding up alleged drug dealers in and around Beulaville this morning. Nearly two dozen suspects were in custody or on the run by 10 a.m.

Officers, deputies and agents with the Beulaville Police Department, Duplin County Sheriff's Office and the N.C. State Bureau of Investigation served or are looking for suspects facing a total of more than 150 arrest warrants.

Most of the charges are for possession or trafficking prescription drugs.

BPD Chief Joey Carter said prescription drugs are a major problem in the area, overtaking cocaine and other narcotics.

Suspects range in age from 18 to 78 and include a father-daughter pair and a preacher.

"This is a problem that doesn't know age limits or socio-economic boundaries," Carter said.

Carter, SBI special agent in charge Mac Wagner and Duplin County Sheriff Blake Wallace supervised the operation while around 50 law enforcement officers went out in three groups to make the arrests.

"Why are you charging me with heroin when it's just pills?" one suspect repeatedly asked police while he was being booked.

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